Florida & Tebow destroy the Seminoles

2009 Florida Gators ... Head Coach: Urban Meyer

2009 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 12-0
2008 Record: 12-0

9/5 Charleston South. W 62-3
9/12 Troy W 56-6
9/19 Tennessee W 23-13
9/26 at Kentucky W 41-7
10/3 OPEN DATE
10/10 at LSU W 13-3
10/17 Arkansas W 23-20
10/24 at Miss St W 29-19
10/31 Georgia W 41-17
11/7 Vanderbilt W 27-3
11/14 at S Carolina W 24-14
11/21 FIU W 62-3
11/28 Florida St  W 37-10
SEC Championship
12/3 Alabama

2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 10-2
2008 Record: 13-1

Aug. 30 Hawaii W 56-10
Sept. 6 Miami W 26-3
Sept. 13 OPEN DATE 
Sept. 20 at Tennessee W 30-6
Sept. 27 Ole Miss L 31-30
Oct. 4 at Arkansas W 38-7
Oct. 11 LSU W 51-21
Oct. 18 OPEN DATE 
Oct. 25 Kentucky W 63-5
Nov. 1 Georgia (Jack.) W 49-10
Nov. 8 at Vanderbilt W 42-14
Nov. 15 South Carolina W 56-6
Nov. 22 The Citadel W 70-19
Nov. 29 at Florida State W 45-15
Dec. 6 SEC Championship
Alabama W 31-20
BCS Championship
Jan. 8 Oklahoma W 24-14

Florida Gators

Nov. 28
at Florida 37 … Florida State 10
It was Tim Tebow’s day in his final home game as a Gator, and he didn’t disappoint pitching two shovel passes to Aaron Hernandez for touchdowns, connecting with Riley Cooper for a 39-yard score, and running for two scores. The Gators got up 30-0 and took their foot of the gas in the third quarter. FSU got into the end zone on a nine-yard Jarmon Fortson catch with just over six minutes to play.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 17-of-21 passes for 221 yards and three scores, and ran 15 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns
Florida State: Passing: E.J. Manuel, 19-31, 186 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: E.J. Manuel, 11-27, Receiving: Rod Owens, 5-40
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 17-21, 221 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Jeffrey Demps, 7-106, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 5-83, 2 TD
What It All Means: Florida toyed with the Seminoles. Tim Tebow was razor-sharp, coming up with one of his best games of the season as the Gators rolled up 545 yards of total offense helped by converting 10-of-13 third down chances. There were too many penalties, an extra point got blocked, and there were two fumbles for the coaching staff to harp on, but there weren’t any real problems and the team played focused and well going into the SEC Championship. The defense embarrassed the Noles until the outcome had been decided. 

Nov. 21
at Florida 62 … FIU 3
Florida was able to show off why it’s the No. 1 team with a 35-0 first half lead highlighted by a 41-yard Brandon Spikes interception return for a score, and a 55-yard Tim Tebow touchdown dash. Chris Rainey ran for second quarter touchdowns from 27 and 22 yards away, and Tebow connected with Riley Cooper for an 18-yard touchdown before giving way to John Brantley, who threw three touchdown passes. FIU’s only points came on a 37-yard Dustin Rivest field goal in the second quarter.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 17-of-25 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and ran seven times for 102 yards and a score
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 17-25, 215 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 7-102, 1 TD, Receiving: Deonte Thompson, 5-66
FIU: Passing: Paul McCall, 9-21, 134 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Kendall Berry, 13-26, Receiving: T.Y. Hilton, 4-75
What It All Means: Florida did what it was supposed to do against a team like FIU, and while the blowout might be dismissed because of the mediocre competition, this was a game the team needed. After so many close calls, the Gators had to flex a little muscle and look the part, just to show that they could. Florida State, without Christian Ponder and with a porous defense, will be tough in name only, but while it might be easy for Florida to want to look ahead to Alabama, coming up with another dominant win, just to get the swagger going, might be important. It’s time for the tremendous team to turn it on. 

Nov. 14
Florida 24 … at South Carolina 14
Riley Cooper took a pass 68 yards and Emmanuel Moody ran for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Florida a 17-7 lead, but the defense was needed to pull off the win. South Carolina pulled within three in the first half on a nine-yard catch from Weslye Saunders, and had a chance to take the lead in the fourth, but Justin Trattou picked off a Stephen Garcia pass and Florida ended up putting the game away on a one-yard Tim Tebow touchdown run.
Player of the Game: Florida CB Joe Haden made 11 tackles, forced two fumbles, made a sack, and picked off a pass.
South Carolina: Passing: Stephen Garcia, 17-32, 186 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Brian Maddox, 17-82, 1 TD, Receiving: Alshon Jeffery, 6-57
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 14-25, 199 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chris Rainey, 10-46, Receiving: Brandon James, 3-30
What It All Means: This is who Florida is. This isn’t a juggernaut, this isn’t an all-timer of a team, and this isn’t a special team in the national title chase; but it’s resourceful. It does what it has to do to win, gets big-time defensive plays out of big-time defensive players, and it jeeps on winning. Is the team just going through the motions waiting for Alabama, or is it really this average (in relative terms)? The defense is going to carry the Gators the rest of the way, while Tim Tebow will keep handing off, keep making a few key throws here and there, and keep on getting wins. 

Nov. 7
at Florida 27 … Vanderbilt 3
Florida was hardly impressive, but it was never threatened getting up 13-0 on two Caleb Sturgis field goals and a 25-yard Jeffrey Demps run. Vanderbilt’s only score came on a 32-yard Ryan Fowler field goal, but the Gators scores the final 14 points with Tim Tebow running for a one-yard score and throwing an eight-yard touchdown pass to David Nelson. Vandy was held to just 199 yards of total offense.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 15-of-20 passes for 208 yards and a score.
Vanderbilt: Passing: Mackenzi Adams, 13-29, 100 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Warren Norman, 12-65, Receiving: John Cole, 3-33
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 15-20, 208 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jeffrey Demps, 7-57, 1 TD, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 7-120
What It All Means: Urban Meyer might be trying pump up the idea of winning 19 games in a row, but the team is hardly looking up to national title snuff offensively. It was fine against Vandy, sleepwalking through the motions, but this wasn’t the explosive thrillride of an attack that it’s supposed to be at some point this year. The defense, even without Brandon Spikes, is picking up the slack not allowing Vandy to do much of anything, but at some point, the offense has to show it can produce on a more regular basis. The points are going to have to flow to beat Florida State in the regular season finale, while South Carolina will throw everything at Tim Tebow next week.

Oct. 31
Florida 41 …. Georgia 17
Florida got two rushing touchdowns from Tim Tebow and two Riley Cooper touchdown catches, including a brilliant one-hander from 29 yards out, in the easy win. Georgia got a 26-yard touchdown catch from Aron White early in the second to pull within four, and got within 14 in the third on a four-yard Michael Moore catch, but the Gators had control of the game throughout. The Florida defense picked off Joe Cox four times with Brandon Spikes returning one five yards for a score.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 15-of-21 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns and hr ran 18 times for 85 yards and two scores.
Georgia: Passing: Joe Cox, 11-30, 165 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Washaun Ealey, 17-70, Receiving: A.J. Green, 3-50
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 15-21, 164 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 18-85, 2 TD, Receiving: Riley Cooper, 4-78, 2 TD
What It All Means: Florida did what it was supposed to do against a mediocre Georgia team. But even though it was an easy win, the team got away from what it needs to do to keep improving. Tim Tebow ran too much, the rest of the backs weren’t used enough, and the passing game wasn’t anything special outside of two big plays from Riley Cooper. Brandon Spikes was brilliant with ten tackles and an interception return for a score, showing what a difference maker he is taking the Florida D from good to great. Even though the Gators aren’t playing at the highest of levels, but their standards, they shouldn’t have a problem over the next four games on the way to the SEC championship. 

Oct. 24
Florida 29 … at Mississippi State 19
Tim Tebow tied Herschel Walker’s record for touchdown runs with a 26-yard dash in the second, and Caleb Sturgis connected on three field goals, but Florida struggled to get out with a win. Tebow threw two interceptions for touchdowns, with Johnathan Banks returning one 100 yards in the final minute of the first half and a 20-yarder for a score in the fourth, but Florida was comfortably ahead helped by a 23-yard Dustin Doe interception return for a touchdown.
Player of the Game: Florida DE Carlos Dunlap made five tackles and three sacks.
Mississippi State: Passing: Tyson Lee, 15-23, 145 yds, 3 INT
Rushing: Anthony Dixon, 15-53, Receiving: Anthony Dixon & O’Neal Wilder, 3-21
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 12-22, 127 yds
Rushing: Chris Rainey, 12-90, 1 TD, Receiving: Riley Cooper, 4-63 
What It All Means: Florida wasn’t looking ahead to Georgia, trying to sharpen up the offense and trying to come up with an easy win, but the simple fact might be that the offense just isn’t that great. Correction, the passing game just isn’t that great. The ground game keeps moving, rumbling for 249 yards on the Bulldogs, but Tim Tebow wasn’t quite right throwing two interceptions for scores and failing to make any big plays outside of his 26-yard touchdown run. If the Gators play like this against a rested Georgia, they’ll be ripe for the picking.

Oct. 17
at Florida 23 … Arkansas 20
Florida fumbled it four times but survived a scare with a 69-yard drive in 14 plays, ending with a game-winning 27-yard field goal from Caleb Sturgis. Sturgis also connected on field goals from 51 and 30 yards away, while Arkansas PK Alex Tejada missed two field goals, and made two, but the two offenses had their moments in the second half with Deonte Thompson catching a 77-yard touchdown pass for the Gators, and with Greg Childs coming up with a 75-yard scoring play off a brilliant throw from Ryan Mallett. The Childs play gave the Hogs a 20-13 lead, but Jeffery Demps scored on a ten-yard run to tie it on the ensuing drive. Florida finally ended it by stopping an attempt at a last gasp Cal band play.
Player of the Game: Florida CB Joe Haden tied for the team lead with six tackles, made a sack, two quarterback hurries, two tackles for loss, and broke up a pass.
Arkansas: Passing: Ryan Mallett, 12-27, 224 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Dennis Johnson, 14-107, Receiving: Greg Childs, 4-135, 1 TD
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 17-26, 255 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 27-69, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 7-92
What It All Means: Every great team has to overcome a major stumbling block when things aren’t going right. The Gators lost four fumbles, Tim Tebow wasn’t sharp (even though he played with his normal reckless abandon again after playing it safe against LSU), and LB Brandon Spikes was out. Even so, the Gators fought through the adversity and got the win, but does this mean there will be struggles ahead? Georgia and at South Carolina are the big landmines ahead, but with the way the last few weeks have gone, the team could use a breezy layup. Going to Mississippi State next week might provide it.
Oct. 10
Florida 13 … at LSU 3
Florida, led by Tim Tebow, who played the entire game two weeks after suffering a concussion, pounded away up the middle time and again rushing for 193 yards and getting two Caleb Sturgis field goals and a 24-yard Riley Cooper touchdown pass on the way to the win. LSU managed just 162 yards of total offense and only threatened once, but chose to kick an 18-yard field goal in the second quarter after having the ball on fourth down from the one. Florida came up with five sacks and held on to the ball for 36:30.
Player of the Game: Florida LB Brandon Spikes made 11 tackles with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
LSU: Passing: Jordan Jefferson, 11-17, 96 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Charles Scott, 13-53, Receiving: Brandon LaFell, 4-44
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 11-16, 134 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jeffrey Demps, 16-86, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 6-70
What It All Means: Florida is playing like a team that knows what it’s capable of and does what it needs to do to win without too much of a problem. Part of that means not taking a whole slew of big chances, and part of that is relying on the defense that stuffed everything LSU was trying to do. However, there was some risk involved. Had LSU connected on a big play and done something to change things around, was Florida ready to respond? The receivers aren’t doing much and Tim Tebow didn’t appear back to being his old self, as much as he seemed to try. Against Arkansas next week, the offense might have to open it up a bit. 

Sept. 26
Florida 41 … at Kentucky 7
Florida won easily as Tim Tebow ran for two short scores and threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez, but the focus was on Tebow as he was knocked out of the game late in the third quarter with a concussion. Chris Rainey added a blocked punt for a Gator touchdown as part of a 24-0 first quarter. Kentucky never threatened getting its only score on a two-yard Ross Bogue catch after getting down 31-0. John Brantley stepped in for Tebow and threw an eight yard touchdown pass to Riley Cooper in the fourth.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 5-of-10 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown and ran 16 times for 123 yards and two scores before getting knocked out off the game in the third quarter.
Kentucky: Passing: Mike Hartline, 13-28, 85 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Derrick Locke, 13-36, Receiving: Randall Cobb, 5-24
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 5-10, 103 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 16-123, 2 TD, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 3-54, 1 TD
What It All Means: Gators fans don’t care about the final score, they just care about the brain of Tim Tebow and how bruised it is after the crushing blow at the end of the third quarter. He was running extremely well considering he was sick, while the Gator ground game came up with 362 yards on the ground and rocked UK with the big plays needed through the air. This was the first time that Florida really looked like the Florida team everyone was waiting to see, and now the question will be whether or not Tebow will be ready for LSU in two weeks. If not, John Brantley is a more-than-adequate replacement. 

Sept. 19
at Florida 23 ... Tennessee 13
Tim Tebow took over the offense and ran for a one-yard score and Jeffrey Demps ran for a seven-yard touchdown as Florida held a 23-6 lead after three quarters. Tennessee kept it interesting wit a 17-yard Montario Hardesty touchdown run in the fourth, but it wasn't enough to get back in the game. Caleb Sturgis connected on field goals from 37, 29, and 35 yards out for the Gators.
Player of the Game: Florida LB Ryan Stamper made 12 tackles with three tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble
Tennessee: Passing: Jonathan Crompton, 11-19, 93 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Montario Hardesty, 20-96, 1 TD, Receiving: Bryce Brown, 3-34
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 14-19, 114 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Tim Tebow, 24-76, 1 TD, Receiving: Aaron Hernandez, 4-26
What It All Means: This wasn't good. Florida was never really threatened by Tennessee and the defense kept the game from becoming tight enough to worry about, but the offense had problems with Tim Tebow needing to do everything. Chris Rainey ran well when he got the chance and Jeffrey Demps was shot out of a cannon on his scoring dash, but if the offense is going to be Tebow for 24 carries and everyone else waiting their turn, the Gators will get tagged by someone.

Sept. 12
at Florida 56 … Troy 6  
It took a quarter for the Gator offense to get humming, and then came the rain, literally, as Tim Tebow threw two of his four touchdown passes, and ran for another, in a 28-point second quarter run. In the lousy weather conditions, Troy didn't get into the end zone managing two Sam Glusman field goals and just 139 yards of total offense, while the Gators rolled for 663 yards and couldn't be stopped once Tebow found a rhythm. Deonte Thompson caught two of Tebow's touchdown passes scoring from six and 33 yards out.
Player of the Game: Florida QB Tim Tebow completed 15-of-24 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran 13 times for 71 yards and a score
Troy: Passing: Levi Brown, 8-24, 1 INT
Rushing: DuJuan Harris, 16-44, Receiving: Cornelius Williams, 2-10
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 15-24, 237 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Jeffery Demps, 7-87, 1 TD, Receiving: Riley Cooper, 5-82, 1 TD
What It All Means: This is the time when Florida needs to sharpen up to be perfect. The outcome was never in doubt, the Gator weapons were way too much for Troy, but Tim Tebow misfired on a few too many passes, and as always, there were too many penalties. They didn't matter against Troy, but committing ten sins against a good team could be a problem. The nice part about blowouts like this is the work the backups can get in. John Brantley looked fantastic in place of Tebow completing 10-of-12 throws.

Sept. 5
at Florida 62 … Charleston Southern 3
Florida went through the motions scoring the first 35 points of the game highlighted by a 76-yard Chris Rainey touchdown run scoring dashes by Jeffery Demps from eight and 23 yards out. Tim Tebow threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez and ran for a one-yard score in the first half, and then the bench was emptied with John Brantley leading the way in the second. Charleston Southern managed a 38-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Player of the Game: Florida RB Jeffery Demps ran five times for 89 yards and two touchdowns.
Charleston Southern: Passing: A.J. Toscano, 18-31, 157 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: B.J. Hackworth, 5-21, Receiving: Kwame Krakue, 6-63
Florida: Passing: Tim Tebow, 10-15, 188 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jeffery Demps, 5-89, 2 TD, Receiving: Riley Cooper, 5-105
What It All Means: This was the epitome of a preseason game with the Gators getting their backups some live action, with John Brantley looking great, and it was a chance to show off the jaw-dropping speed in the backfield. Tim Tebow was perfect, he didn’t have to be, but on the down side, there weren’t enough big plays from the new receivers who were going to take over for Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy. Tight end Aaron Hernandez is still the team’s most dangerous target, even though Riley Cooper had a nice day. Florida has always had problems with penalties, and that continued with 8 for 43 yards.